Fuselage



P 1929- E. B. CARNS 1,727,394

FUSELAGE Original Filed July 30, 1927 Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

EDMUND B. CABINS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FUSELAGE.

Application filed July 30, 1927, Serial No. 209,410. Renewed February 16, 1929.

My invention relates to improvements in fuselage construction and the object of my invention is to produce a simple, light and exceptionally strong fuselage which can be ecognomically made and if desired can be all metal and in which the parts are disposed to have the greatest possible strength in proportion to their weight.

My invention is also intended to produce a a structure which can be conveniently and economically made on a commercial production basis and is comprised of parts which can be individually, conveniently and cheaply duplicated.

; My invention is intended further to produce such a structure which will be roomy, that is, it will have a larger amount of clear space in proportion to its size and in which the ribs and struts are arranged so that a few struts can be omitted at desired points to the end that a convenient door, window or other opening can be made in the structure.

Reference is tobe had to the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters represent the corresponding parts in all views.

Figure 1 is a broken perspective view of the frame of the fuselage embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a broken detail section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional detailshowing the floor construction and the means of bracing it.

L Figure 4 is a broken detail'of one of the cross ribs after it'is bent.

Figure 5 is a broken detail of one of the cross ribs and the cushion thereon.

Figure 6 is a detailed section showing modi- T fled means of attaching the cover to the fuselage frame, and

Figure 7 is a broken plan view of the structure shown in Figure 6.

In forming the fuselage body I use a series a of cross ribs 10 which are arranged in sets of three and spaced apart lengthwise of the fuselage. These cross ribs .are of T-metal and can be the ordinary T construction, but I much prefer to make the webs 11 of the Ts in pairs, that is, each T with a pair of webs 11 instead of the customary single web. This arrangement greatly strengthens the T, and also facilitates the smooth, easy and strong assembly of parts connected to the Ts and especially between the webs 11. It will be seen by reference to thedrawing that by arranging the cross ribs in sets of three and having these ribs meet end to end I get a triangular cross section, but in my construction the cross section is what is termed a circular triangle that is to say, the ribs are arched so that each rib 10 represents the arc of a circle and when these are assembled end to end and in sets as I described, each set of ribs forms a circular triangle, the arch effect is such that the structure while light is enormously strong, and this effect is accentuated by having the plurality of ,webs '11. This arched effect of the cross ribs lends itself to economic mass production as themetal of the Tcan be rolled or bent in the form of a hoop and then cut off in sections of right length to form the ribs. Another advantage of the plural webs is that when the T members are bent to the arch shape, it has a tendency to corrugate the webs 11 as'shown in Figure 4 and so in case a bulkhead or other structure is fastened between the webs the rivets can be put through the webs at the nearest points of corrugation, thus making a simple and strong .job of the assembly.

The triangular structure referred to is maintained throughout and at the meeting points of the cross ribs 10 angle cap members 13 are attached thereto as 'shown. These cap 5 members 13 are preferably tapered from the middle part of the fuselage towardthe ends so that there will be the strongest mass of metal at points where the strain is greatest and the weight will be lightened as the cross section of the fuselage grows smaller. Thus these cap members will be at the apex of each angle of a set of ribs. I prefer to strengthen the ribs internally by gussets or braces 14: which can be arranged on the inner sidesof the ribs near the apexes of the triangle at the top of the fuselage and similar gussets or braces 14 at the lower angles and these gussets can be fastened between the webs 11, thus making a very smooth, strong bracing. It

will be noticed that the angles and arcs of the several sets of cross ribs'are similar so that the gussets or braces 1 1 and 14' can be made in duplicate and any one brace or. gusset used in its appropriate place thus simplifying construction and assembly.

The structure is stiffened lengthwise by the longitudinal braces 15 which are in the nature of longrons and are alsoof T formation. Particular attention is called to the fact that these longrons or braces 15 are all parallel with the main truss line A of the fuselage. The members 15 are attached to the cross ribs and the flanged parts of the members 15 lie flat against the flanged parts of the T members 10 of the cross ribs, while the webs 16 of the members 15 extend outward to form supports for the cover of the machine. As in the case of the members 13, the longitudinal braces 15 are preferably tapered from their middle portions towards their ends so as to make the weight of the metal correspond to the strain required and where both members 13 and 15 are thus tapered the lightness of the metal structure is reduced and suflicient strength retained. It will be notice-d in Figure 1 that at the extremities of the members 15 where they are attached to the cap member 13, the web parts 16 are entirely out off. The structure is further braced by the diagonally arranged struts 17 which can conveniently and preferably be of flattened tubes and which are arranged between and fastened to the ribs 10. These as shown in the drawing are placed so that adjacent rows of struts lie herring-bone fashion across the structure, that is to say, the struts extend diagonally fromtwo sets of ribs 10 to a middle set intervening between the said two sets. This arrangement is simple, gives greater strength'and lightness and by leaving out a strut or struts, as for example at the. point B in Fig. 1, space is easily provided for a window, door or other opening between the set of ribs 10 and this can be done without materially weakening the structure. For

k a light, strong floor 18 I preferably use a structure of laminated reinforced sheets of a kind specifically described in my application for Letters Patent of the United States Ser. No. 179,988 filed March 31, 1927, although other flooring can be used without affecting the invention. Beneath the floor are braces 19 which can conveniently be flattened tubes and these braces 19 are preferably grouped as illustrated in Fig. 3 so that a set of four braces will extend from four equi-distant points on the lower longrons or'braces 15 and merge I to a common center beneath the floor 18. This makes a very light strong structure.

The cover 19 can be of any approved mate rial although I prefer to use a wire mesh covered with a film of metal and this is stretched i on over the frame and rests upon the webs 16 of the members 15 and on the cap members 13. To avoid friction the webs 16 can be ized fabric or any suitable material to ac.

complish the purpose stated. The cover can be riveted to the webs 16 as' shown in Fig. 5, or it can be applied in many other ways. A good form of cover fastening is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 Here the cover is stretched around the frame and staples 20 are pushed through the cover so as to straddle the cushion 18 on the webs 16 and the inner ends of the staples are pushed through corresponding holes in the flanges of the members 15 and clinched over as shown at 21 in Fig. 6.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have produced a very light,'strong simple fuselage which can be easily assembled and parts of which can be readily made in quantity.

I claim:

1. A fuselage having sets of cross ribs.

spaced apart lengthwise of the fuselage, each set comprising three arched members meeting end to end, and longitudinal braces or longrons fastened to the cross ribs, said longand longitudinal braces parallel with the main truss line of the fuselage, said braces being rigidly attached to the cross ribs.

4. A fuselage having spaced sets of arched cross ribs, each set comprising three members fastened together at the ends, longitudinal braces parallel with the main truss line of the fuselage, said braces being secured to the cross ribs, and struts attached to the cross ribs and extending from rib to rib.

5. An improved fuselage of generally triangular cross section having spaced sets of arched crossed ribs, longitudinal braces secured to the ribs and arranged parallel with the main truss line of the fuselage, said braces being of T cross section with the webs outermost, and struts secured to the cross ribs and extending from one set of ribs to the otherf I 6. A fuselage having spaced sets of cross ribs, each set comprisingthree arched members fastened together at the ends, longitudinal braces parallel with the main'truss line of the fuselage secured to the cross ribs, and diagonally arranged struts fastened to the cross ribs and extending from one set of ribs to the next.

bers secured together at the ends, longitudi- 7. A fuselage having spaced sets of cross In testimony whereof, I have signed my ribs, each set comprising three arched T name to this specification this 27th day of members having a plurality of webs on each July, 1927. T, reinforcing members fastened to the Ts EDMUND B. CARNS. near their junctions, longitudinal braces parallel with the main truss line of the fuselage secured to the cross ribs, and diagonally arranged struts connecting the sets of ribs.

8. A fuselage having spaced sets of cross ribs, each set comprising three arched memnal braces connecting the cross ribs, a floor spaced from the bottom of the fuselage, and diagonally disposed struts extendin from the lower ribs of the fuselage to the oor.

9. An improved fuselage of generally triangular cross section having sets of cross ribs spaced apart each comprising three T members outwardly arched and meeting at the ends, and longitudinal braces parallel with the main truss line of the fuselage, said braces being rigidly attached to the cross ribs and being tapered from their middle portions towards their extremities.

10. An improved fuselage of generally triangular cross section having sets of cross ribs spaced apart each set comprising three T members outwardl arched and meeting at the ends, longitudinal braces parallel with the main truss line of the fuselage, said braces being rigidly attached to the cross ribs, and

angle cap members extending along the outside of the frame at the apexes of the triangles formed by the cross ribs, said cap members being tapered from their middle parts toward their extremities.

11. An improved fuselage of generally triangular cross section having sets of cross ribs spaced apart, each set comprising three T members outwardly arched and meeting at the ends, longitudinal braces of T cross section parallel with the main truss line of the fuselage, said braces being rigidl attached to the cross ribs and tapering rom their middle portions toward their ends, and angle cap members extending longitudinally of the fuselage and attached to the cross ribs where the ends of the cross ribs meet, said cap members being tapered from their middle portions toward their extremities.

12. A fuselage of generally triangular cross section having sets of cross ribs, three in a set, meeting at the ends and with the sets spaced apart, longitudinal braces of T cross section attached to the cross ribs with the webs outermost, cushions covering the Webs of the said braces, and a cover fitting against the cushions.

13. A fuselage having longitudinal braces of T cross section with thewebs outermost, cushions fitting over the webs of the braces, a cover resting upon the cushions, and fastening elements extending through the cover over the cushions and fastening to the braces. 

